Transcribed by:

Bryan Irby

Transcribed from "Professor Longhair - 'Fess: Anthology"

It was early, early one morning
Boys I heard my bulldog bark
He was barking at the two men
Who were gambling in the dark

It was Stag-O-Lee and Billy Lyon
Oh they gambled ... very late
Every time ??? Billy Lyon ?? easy way??

Stag-O-Lee lost all of his money
Boy, then he lost his brand new Cadillac
He said I believe you be cheatin' Billy
Don't be here when I come back

Stag-O-Lee went home
And he knocked up on his woman's door
He said wake up Luberta baby
And hand me my 44

You know Bertha jumped out of bed screaming
And she was looking in Stag-O-Lee's eye
She said come on inside honey
I can see some poor man gon' die

Then Stag-O-Lee told Bertha
That he had lost his Cadillac
But he believed Billy was cheating
And she knew that he didn't go for that

Stag-O-Lee went back on the corner
And he stood up in the barroom door
He said "don't nobody move
'Cause I got my 44"

Stag-O-Lee cried "Billy Lyon!"
And he shot the poor boy so fast
The bullet went through Billy
But it broke the bartender's glass

Then Billy Lyon started to screaming
I heard him say "Stag-O-Lee don't take my life,
You know I got 2 little children
And a poor little sickly wife"

Stag-O-Lee told Billy
Yes I know you got a cute boy and girl
But if you wanna see your family
Billy meet 'em in another world

added:5/11/2000